Improvement in web slippers



L. K.--WASHBURN.

Webb Slippers.

Patented Jan. 30, 1872.

No. 123,313).v

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LUCIS K. WASHBURN, OF WORCESTER, MASSACHUSETTS.

IMPROVEMENT IN WEB SLIPPERS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 123,313, dated January 30, 1872.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, LUoIUs K. WASHBURN, of the city and county of Worcester and Commonwea-lth of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Web Slippers; and l do hereby declare the followin g to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawing which forms a part of this specification, and in which- Figure l represents a plan view of the slipper upper before the bottom is attached thereto. Fig. 2 represents a perspective view of the finished slipper, and Fig. 3 represents upon an enlarged scale a section through one of the seam-stays. v

The nature of my invention consists in certain improvements in the construction of web slippers, as hereinafter described, whereby a more durable slipper is obtained, while the cost of manufacture is reduced.

The uppers of my impro ved slippers are formed from pieces of tape or webbingwoven in strips, the width of which corresponds with the desired height of the slipper, usually about two and one-half inches, but varying according to the size ofthe slippers to be produced. Two pieces ofthis tape or webbing are used. Onepiece, A, has its ends cut obliquely across the web, and is made long enough to fold around and form the heel and sides of theupper, while the other piece, B, is cut short and is placed between the ends of the piece A to form the top part of the toe or vamp to the slipper, as shown in Fig. l, the edges of the two pieces AB being stitched to each other by seams a a, as illustrated. The top end of the piece B is bound or hemmed, and at the end of the seams a or junction of the parts A and B a metallic stay, C, is set through the fabric in such a manner as to ernbrace the edges of both pieces A and B, and is firmly clinched at the inner side of the upper, as shown in Figs. 2 and I5 ofthe drawing. These metallic stays G hold the parts firmly to each other, and receive the strain which would otherwise come on the seams a a, which seams are by the stays C prevented from giving way or ripping out when the slippers are worn longitudinally, the slippers are rendered much more durable than those which are stayed with stitches.

The heads of the metallic stays can be made in any form and more or less ornamental, thus adding vmuch to the beauty of the slippers. They may be set into the fabric and clinched by suitable mechanism, so that the labor and expense of construction would be less than the cost ofthe amount ot'sewing otherwise required, for with the metallic stays a single seam, a, at each side is suflicient, but when the stay C is omitted a double seam is required, and the slippers are even then liable to rip out` at the junction of the parts A B. l

It will be observed that the metallic stays G are of peculiar coi'istruction and that the mode of combining them with the parts A and B of the slipperis also such that results are obtained which could not be obtained by the use of eyelets or rivets. In the first place the head of the stays C are made in the form of caps, from the lower edges of which project two thin wedge-shaped points, the points being opposite to each other, and their dat sides parallel with each other, also. Then, again, when they are applied to the slipper, the inner points of both stays are passed down through the edges of the part B only, while the outer points of both stays are passed through the edges of the part A only, and then one point in each stay is lapped over the other point ofthe same stay, when they a-re clinched down upon the under side of the top of the slipper, thus drawing the parts together in a uniform and perfect manner, and that too without any undue spreading or forcing apart of the strands or threads of the fabrics.

By this arrangement and mode of applying vthe sta-ys only a very narrow lap of the pieces A and B is required, one just suiiicient for a single row of stitches, while at the same time the stays stand or fit on the slipper apparently as true and perfect as if the laps extended the width of both points of the stay. Then again, any forcing up of the material by the clinching ofthe points, is covered and protected by the caps ofthe stays. By this arrangement and combination of the stays with the parts A and B of the slipper, the selvage of the part A is not forced or spread out at the points where the stays are applied 5 but on the contrary they are retained in line with the other parts thereof, while at the same time having posed or constructed of the parts A and B, connected to each other by the peculiarly-constructed metallic stays C, applied at the junctionof said parts and seams a, substantially in the manner as shown and described.

LUCIU S K. WASHBURN.

Witnesses THos. H. DODGE, CHAs. H. BURLEIGH. 

